Does Water Filter Remove Bacteria From Tap Water? How to Get Rid of Bacteria in Your Water?

Do water filters remove bacteria from tap water? 

It is a question that many people ask themselves when they are considering whether or not to purchase a water filter. 

The answer can be complicated, and there are many factors to consider. 

But in a nutshell, the answer to that is yes, some types of water filters can remove bacteria from tap water. Suppose your water filter comes with an UltraViolet tank or lights, then yes. In that case, your water filter can remove 99% of the bacteria in your water.

To help you decide if your water filter does remove bacteria, we will address this question in detail below:

• What Types of Bacteria are in Water?
• How Do You Get Rid of Bacteria in Water?
• What Happens If You Drink Water with Bacteria In It?
• And more…

So if you want to know the answers to those questions, you might want to keep on reading.

Without further ado, let’s get started.

What Types of Bacteria are in Water?

Based on data from the CDC, there is an average of 7.2 million Americans who get sick every year because they drink water that contains bacteria.

The EPA says there are over forty types of bacteria that can be found in water. Still, many Americans have these top 3 common ones:

E.Coli

This is one of the most common bacteria found in water and includes strains that can lead to food poisoning.

Salmonella

This type of bacteria causes diarrhea, fever, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramping. It is commonly caused by eating foods or drinking water contaminated with animal feces.

Legionella

This bacteria can lead to a type of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease, which is severe and has symptoms such as fever, headache, dry cough, or chest pain.

Bacteria typically enter your water supply through sewage runoff from nearby streams and rivers, containing other pollutants, including pesticides and sediment.

The bacteria also can come up out of ground wells due to seismic activity or gas emissions near those holes in the earth’s surface. 

What this means: 

If there are visible signs around major water sources that show water contamination, it’s important to filter your drinking water.

Can Water Filter Remove Bacteria?

Yes, water filters can help remove and reduce the number of bacteria and other contaminants in tap water. 

First thing first, you need to know what water filter to use. 

There are many different water filters out there, and they all have their benefits and drawbacks. 

It is essential to know which one suits your needs the best for you to enjoy clean water without any bacteria or other contaminants whatsoever!

Some types of water filters will remove certain bacteria but not others, while some even take care of heavy metals.

Other types can’t do anything about chemicals like pesticides or chlorine that may also be present in tap water left untreated by a filtration system.

It’s always good to think ahead, so make sure you’re getting what fits your specific need! 

If you want more information on how this process works, then keep on reading!

Also read: Does Water Filter Remove Fluoride?

Do Water Filters Kill Germs?

Yes, water filters do kill germs if the system comes with a UV tank or UV lights.

If the water filter does not have a UV tank or UV lights, it will only remove sediment and particles from tap water.

When using a low-quality water filter without any additional features like ultraviolet light to kill bacteria in drinking water, you rely on the filtration system alone to do so.

The activated carbon or the semi-permeable membrane may reduce chlorine taste and odor, and other contaminants but is not enough for killing germs.

A high-end water filter with an incorporated ultraviolet light can effectively eradicate almost all harmful microorganisms that would cause illnesses such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and many more types of bacteria.

Ultra Violet light is so powerful that it can actually kill germs and bacteria.

The UV rays can create free radicals on the DNA of bacteria, which will cause them to die off rapidly!

So you want to make sure your water filter has a UV light to kill germs and bacteria in the water.

Also read: Does Water Filter Remove Parasites?

How Do You Get Rid of Bacteria in Water?

The easiest and safest way to get rid of bacteria in your water is by using a good water filter.

A water filter will remove most bacteria from the water by taking out particles and other substances that can cause diseases.

This will also remove water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and amoebic dysentery.

However, it is always important to note that you want to use the right water filter.

Not all water filters are equally effective in removing bacteria from your water.

You need to know the type of bacteria you want to filter out and use a water filter designed for those particular types of bacteria.

This will give you greater protection than using a general-purpose water filter which can sometimes remove some but not all types of bacteria from tap water.

There is 3 recommended type of water filters that are effective in getting rid of bacteria in water:

Water Distillers

Water distillers work by boiling water to produce steam which is then collected in a separate container.

The boiling process will kill bacteria that are found in tap water as well as other contaminants.

Distillers remove impurities such as chemicals, heavy metals, and salts from the water, making it not only safe but healthy too!

Water Distillers can be expensive relative to water filters, but most people will find the cost to be worth it.

Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis water filters work by forcing the water to pass through a semi-permeable membrane to remove bacteria from tap water.

The smallest form of bacteria in tap water is usually 0.02 microns, but reverse osmosis membrane can go even to .0001 microns in size.

This means the smallest form of even innocuous, harmless bacteria in your water supply can’t get past this filter!

A reverse osmosis filter is one of the most effective options for removing bacteria in water. 

It removes more contaminants than any other type of filtration available on the market today.

Ultra Violet Lights

An ultraviolet water purification system uses light to destroy bacteria.

Ultraviolet lights are a good option for those who want a very high level of safety from bacteria and other contaminants in their drinking water. 

Still, these systems don’t remove minerals or chemicals, which can have adverse effects on health.

If you want to get rid of bacteria in your water, combining Reverse Osmosis Filters with Ultra Violet Lights will do the trick.

Many companies sell water filters combined with UV sterilizers for people looking to get rid of bacteria in their drinking water.

One such product is the Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System from Express Water.

This system includes a UV tank that eliminates bacteria like E. Coli, making it an easy way to make sure your home has clean water with no bacteria.

What Happens If You Drink Water with Bacteria In It?

Drinking water with bacteria in it can be dangerous to you.

Many types of bacteria can be found in water.

Several of these can make you sick and lead to different kinds of diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that drinking water with bacteria can transmit diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio.

Furthermore, WHO estimates 485 000 deaths per year result from unsafe consumption of potable water alone!

This is why you should be drinking filtered water.

Otherwise, it can make you very sick!

There are many filters on the market that will remove bacteria from your tap water, so now there’s no need to worry about getting a stomach ache after having some tea or coffee with contaminated water in it.

Now here’s the best part:

Many of these filters also get rid of other contaminants such as lead and asbestos, which means they’re perfect for people who drink well-water near factories where metals like mercury may have leaked into their groundwater supply too!

Does Boiling Water Remove Bacteria?

Yes, boiling water does kill and remove bacteria from our drinking water.

When a liquid reaches a boiling temperature, everything living in it dies because all its cells are destroyed by the heat.

So boiling water is an excellent way to purify your drinking water.

You want to boil the water for at least one minute.

Boil it longer if you live in a high elevation area like Colorado, but don’t forget to let your boiled water cool before using it!

Conclusion: So, Does a Water Filter Remove Bacteria from Your Water?

To conclude, Yes, the right water filter can remove bacteria from your tap water.

The best combination is to get a reverse osmosis water filter and UV light so that you’re getting fresh, clean filtered drinking water every time you turn on the faucet. 

These two technologies work synergistically on their own. 

Still, when paired together, they are much more effective at eradicating any type of harmful organism or contamination that may be present in your home’s water supply. 

Final Words

So there you have it!

Water quality matters, so don’t neglect it as most people do (and suffer).

If you have any questions about this article, please leave a comment below, and I will be happy to answer them!